Here For You
by Oranakka
Summary: OS turned two shots. Set during Season 3 Episode 9 and Episode 10. Contains spoilers. When Emily comes home from the hospital that terrible night, she hits rock bottom. Thank God, she has an unexpected guest that is here for her. A few nights later, she is the one here for him.
1. Chapter 1

Hi there! Designated Survivor is back, and I am too. I absolutely loved this new season and I was super excited to watch it.  
**Warning: This one shot contains spoilers until episode 309. **  
From watching this season, I came up with this one shot. I was really frustrated that Aaron just called Emily after she lost her mother. This one shot could potentially turn into a story, but I cannot promise anything. I don't know if any idea will pop or if it's a good thing to turn it into a story, so I'll think about it before I post anything. I really hope you'll like it, please let me know what you thought.

Please review!

* * *

It's four in the morning, but Emily isn't sleeping. She doesn't know when she'll sleep; probably not before a while. She lost her mother a few hours ago, and she doesn't realize it yet. How could she? It's true, she had time to accept it, that her mother would die soon. Ovarian cancer is a bitch. It's been months she is sick. But she never imagined that it would come so soon, and that she would have to follow through her mother's wish. She killed her own mother, and despite knowing that it is legal in Washington D.C., or that it was her mother's wish, it's still unbearable for her. Her heart literally aches from the sadness, the guilt and the despair. And she feels alone. She wishes she could have someone to talk to, a father for example, or a brother. It's too bad, she's an only child, and her father has been out of the picture for far too long. But paradoxically, this loneliness soothes her too. She doesn't want to talk to anyone, she doesn't want to be bothered by anyone. She just wants to cry on her own. She even turned off her phone.

So instead of having someone by her side, comforting her, she consoles herself with the glass of wine she has in her hand. It's empty though… The bottle is empty too. She drank it all after coming back from the hospital, but it doesn't help. She feels dizzy and almost wants to throw up, and still, it doesn't erase the pain. Her eyes are red and burning from crying and the alcohol is getting to her head. The images of her mother in the ER are vivid as her eyes are closing by themselves. She is exhausted.

_"__Does your mother have a DNR?" the doctor asks._

_"__Can you just save her?" Emily begs, her eyes full of tears, out of breath._

_"__Do you know if she has advanced directives?" the doctors asks relentlessly._

_"__You're a doctor. You took an oath! Can you please just save her?" Emily almost screams._

_"__Miss! I need an answer!" the doctor exclaims._

_"__I don't know what I did to her!"_

_"__Does your mother have a DNR?" the doctor asks again._

_"__Yes, she does." Emily finally says, her hands shaking, her heart pounding. _

She wakes up with a start, her breath shallow. She was woken up by a knock on the door as she was seeing herself fall on her knees in the emergency room. It takes time before she comes back to her senses and realizes where she is. She looks at her phone: it's 4:50 a.m. Who could even think of coming to her place at that time of the night? She sighs, rubbing her eyes. Her eyes are still wet from crying. She's not even sure she wants to answer, it's too late, and she's in no state to welcome anyone, but another knock at the door makes her decide otherwise. She stands up and stumbles. Despite the constant pounding in her head, she forgot how much she drank. It takes ages before she manages to come to the door, and she even wonders if the impromptu guest is still here. She doesn't even think about looking through the peephole before opening the door, and suddenly freezes when she realizes who is in front of her.

"Aaron?"

He doesn't say anything, he just has a compassionate smile on his face. He seems relieved that she finally opened the door. He walks the remaining steps between them and takes her in his arms. Taken aback, she bursts into tears. He knows. She doesn't know how he knows, but he does, and she cannot express enough gratitude toward him. He came to her place in the middle of the night to comfort her, and that means everything to her. It takes a few minutes before she pulls out of his arms and invites him inside. His security details on his trail, he asks them to stay at the door before closing on them, getting them some much needed privacy. Walking in, he realizes that nothing has moved. Even the pills that Emily gave her mother are still on the kitchen counter, and it makes him shiver. It smells like death. Not literally, it doesn't, but it gives him the creeps. He shakes his head and heads toward the kitchen where Emily is filling two glasses of wine. She knows she shouldn't, but it's the only thing she can think of right now. She heads toward the couch and he follows her. They don't say anything, he just sits by her side and opens his arms, letting her curl against him. She still sniffs, the tears are still visible on her cheeks. She puts her glass of wine on the coffee table by her side, she doesn't even want to drink it anymore.

"How do you know?" she asks, her voice broken.

"Seth told me." he answers.

"Oh… Right. I turned off my phone." she says, almost in a murmur.

"I know, I tried to call several times."

In her sort of drunken state, she completely forgot that she sent Seth that text. It's the only one she sent, while in the cab back home. She didn't even wait for an answer, she turned off her phone right after, needing to be alone for the night.

"How are you even here? Weren't you in Florida today?"

"I was. I came here straight from the airport when I landed."

"You didn't have to…"

Emily feels the guilt inside of her. He came because he thought she needed him, and as always, he was right. She doesn't want to admit it, but she is more than thankful that he is here. She will never forget about this.

"You know, I'm always here for you, Em." he says, pulling her against him.

This sentence sends shivers down her spin. She knows he means it and it warms her heart.

"What about Isabel? You shouldn't be here… We've already done enough." Emily says, hanging tighter to him, afraid he will leave.

Even drunk and miserable, Emily thinks about the others. It's always been one of her biggest qualities. She is so caring, she'll always put others first, whatever the circumstances.

"We'll see about that tomorrow. Don't worry. I wanted to be there for you tonight."

He kisses her temple softly and she finally settles against him, the tension finally leaving her shoulders.

"Thank you." she murmurs.

The alcohol still burning in her, she feels herself drift into sleep, shaken by the memories of her mother. She feels Aaron move against her, and suddenly he takes her in his arms. She isn't really aware of what is happening, she's just semi-conscious and understands that he takes her to her bedroom. He knows she needs a good night sleep, it will be a tough day tomorrow, just like all the others recently. With the election coming up in less than a week, days have been hectic, and for Emily's it's been even worse. She spent her days running on the campaign and her nights taking care of her mother. Everybody could see that she is physically and mentally exhausted. And now, with her mom gone, he doesn't know how she will hold up. He really is worried for her. Laying her on the bed, he softly puts the blanket on her, but before he can do anything, Emily pulls on his hand, forcing him to stay by her side.

"Stay…" Emily mumbles.

"I'm not leaving. Don't worry." he whispers.

Aaron walks around the bed and strips from most of his clothes before sliding in the bed. He doesn't even have the time to properly lie down, she already turns around and nestles against him when he opens his arm. She hangs to him, her arm around his chest, and he can feel her still-wet eyes against his chest. Even half-asleep, she still cries and it breaks his heart. He feels so bad for her, he wishes he could help her, but he doesn't know how. He wishes he could erase the pain, but he knows it's not possible. It's something that will take time, and deep inside, he promises himself —and her— that he will be there every step of the way, every step of the grief. No matter what happens with Isabel, no matter whether he wins or loses this election next week.

Exhausted too, he feels himself drift into an anxious sleep, worried for Emily and for the days to come.

It's only a couple of hours later that Aaron is woken up by his buzzing phone on the nightstand. Emily is still curled against him and he moves slowly, trying his best not to wake her up. The call ends before he has time to answer. It's probably for the best though… It's Lorraine and he really doesn't want to talk to her. He knows she will ask if he got back with Isabel and he hates this invasion of privacy. He ignores the fact that he should probably call her back and decides to get up. It's almost seven anyway, he should probably already be at the White House. He gets out of the bed as discreetly as possible, doing his best not to wake up Emily. She flinches at the sudden loss of warmth but doesn't seem to wake up.

Relieved, he walks to the kitchen to prepare some coffee, but suddenly stops in his tracks. He had forgotten the mess in the kitchen, and it still gives him the creeps. Nothing has changed, nothing has moved. He shakes his head and decides to clean everything before Emily wakes up. It's already hard enough on her, she doesn't need to see the pills, the half-empty glass of juice, or any other reminder that her mother is gone. It's 7:40 a.m. when he's done cleaning and he finally enjoys some coffee. Looking at the numerous emails he got in the few hours of sleep, he knows he should already be at work. He has so many things to do, so many persons to answer to. But when he lies on the doorframe of Emily's bedroom, his cup of coffee in the hand, he realizes that he cannot leave her like this. He cannot leave her alone. She is curled into a ball, hugging the pillow as tight as she can. It's like she needs something, someone to comfort her, and he knows he has to be there for her.

His phone buzzes again and he sighs. This time, it's Seth. It's not that he doesn't want to answer him, but since he lets Isabel crash at his place, Aaron doesn't know how to talk to his friend. He's always uncomfortable. He walks away from Emily's room to answer.

"Hey, have you heard from Emily?" Seth asks as soon as Aaron picks up the call. "She hasn't answered any of my texts since she told me about her mom… I'm worried."

"I'm with her, she's sleeping…" Aaron answers.

"Aaron…" Seth groans, scolding his friend.

"Nothing happened, nothing is going to happen. And I would appreciate if you were not telling your… roommate about this." Aaron says, referring to Isabel.

"You are playing with fire, Aaron." Seth continues to scold.

"Please, I don't need a lesson right now. I came to her place because she needed me. That's all."

"Ok, fine. Can you please tell her to call me when she can. It's important."

"I will."

"Please, don't do anything stupid."

"Seth…"

This time it's Aaron who groans. He is tired of hearing Seth scolding him and telling him what he should or should not do. He is a grown-up, but ever since Seth learned that Aaron and Emily slept together, the Press Secretary cannot help but make comments about the duo's relationship. Aaron hangs up and decides to wake up Emily. It's not that he wants to, but he knows he doesn't have a choice. She too, has to go to work, and she would hate him if he wasn't waking her up. Sitting on the bed, next to her, he softly strokes her shoulder and calls her.

"Em…" he calls softly.

She grumbles and turns around. Her eyes are puffy and red from crying most of the night.

"It's me, Aaron…"

She pulls him against her, making him lie on the bed again. She curls up against him as he strokes her back gently. She needs the comfort of his strong arms, his reassuring arms wrapped around her.

"You need to wake up, Em. I wish I could let you sleep, but Seth's been trying to reach you. I think it's important…"

"What time is it?" she asks, her voice hoarse.

"Almost eight…"

"Fuck, I should already be at work…" she grumbles, burying her face in Aaron's neck.

"It's okay, don't worry. Take your time, nobody's going to hold it against you."

Emily sighs, she doesn't want to get out of bed. Her heart still aches, she knows she looks like a mess, and she is in no state to endure everybody's condolences.

"I don't want to go…" she says.

"I know. But you don't have a choice…"

Suddenly, he feels tears falling on his chest. That's how he realizes that she's been crying in silence. He hates it, he doesn't know what to do to ease the pain. He wishes he could do something, anything. He pulls her tighter against him and softly kisses her forehead.

"Em, it's okay. I'm here for you. I'll be here for you every step of the way."

"You promise?"

"I promise…"


	2. Chapter 2

Hi there. As most of you know by now, the show's been canceled again. It won't get a season 4, and this time, it's for good. I don't know what you all thought of season 3, but I personally loved it and was very sad to see it canceled again. I cannot say I am super surprised though, as it's suffered major production problems from the beginning. I was also quite surprised at the very negative comments some people made about season 3, especially on Facebook or Twitter. It probably went too far from the original idea, and it lost a lot of viewers on the way.

Anyway, it didn't prevent me from having ideas, and this is why I am publishing this continuation of what was supposedly a one shot. I got many reviews on the first chapter, and I want to thank every one of you for commenting and liking and following this. Now that the show is over, the frenzy in the fandom is probably gone, but know that if you are still reading, I loved every like and comment you added to my story.

Enjoy this chapter, thanks for reading!

* * *

She walks into that bar on G street, just a couple of blocks away from the White House. He didn't say anything, but she knows he is here. It's where he goes when something bothers him and he wants to drown his sorrows. In the years they've worked together, she got used to this. He doesn't often come to this bar alone, but when he does, she knows it's because something is going on. And when she saw him leaving the arena earlier that night, she knew it was where he was going. She could see on his face that something was on his mind. He was wearing that fake smile that only people who knew him could recognize. Truth be told, she wasn't completely surprised by his need to drown his sorrows. Isabel had just ended things with him for good, a few hours before his unprecedented win.

So when she sees Troy, Aaron's security detail, discreetly waiting at the entrance of the bar, she knows that she is right. She nods at the guy and he smiles, showing him where Aaron is sitting. It's way past 2 a.m. and he is the only one left in the bar. He took his tie off and looks disheveled. It's true, the past few days have been tough for everybody, but especially for both of them. With Emily losing her mother, Aaron had been constantly checking on her, not caring one moment for his own health. And it was just one of the numerous things in his mind. With the campaign and his role of National Security Adviser and the constant tension between him and Isabel, Aaron was more lonely than ever. The only person he could lean on was the person he had cheated with, and he knew how awkward that was, both of them ignoring the elephant in the room.

"Mr. Vice-President?" she calls him as she is standing beside him.

Aaron chuckles. It should be the best night of his life, he should be celebrating with his friends, his girlfriend, his family. But here he is, in this bar, drinking a glass by himself. It's when he walked on stage earlier that night, that the loneliness struck him. He saw Tom Kirkman, with Penny and Sasha, and he realized that the President would have done anything to have Alex by his side. And Aaron, he didn't do anything to have Isabel by his. He let her go, he let her leave him and he didn't fight for her. Worse, he did what no one could ever forget: he cheated on her.

And yet, when she broke up with him, she told him it wasn't the infidelity the problem. It was just their relationship in itself. He knows she is right, but he cannot accept it. He cannot accept that he has been the greatest asshole in the world with her, that he never truly accepted her for who she is. She's the one who made him accept his roots, who made him realize who he really is, and helped him be proud of his past. It's because of her that he ran, that he accepted to be Kirkman's running mate. But instead of celebrating the best night of his life with the love of his life, he seats at a table in this bar, alone, and drinks his regular scotch, thinking about the changes that are about to come in his life. He feels dizzy, but the alcohol has not gotten to his head quite yet.

"Em…" he smiles softly as he hears her voice.

"So, how does it feel, to be the second most powerful man in this world?" she asks, sitting across from him at the table.

"Surreal. I cannot believe it. I don't realize it yet… It is quite amazing how everything can change in such a short time…"

"And this is why you are seating at a table here, after what is supposed to be a great night for you and an unprecedented victory?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

Aaron sighs, depressed with Emily's statement.

"Isi left me… For good." he suddenly says, drinking his glass in one go.

"I know. I crossed path with her at the party, she told me…" she states, a compassionate smile on her face. "I'm sorry"

"And the worst? It's that I know why she did it, and she totally deserves better than me, but I cannot help myself but think that I should have done better. I should have been a better boyfriend to her…"

Emily wants to comfort him, say something that would ease his pain, but she doesn't know. They all lost themselves a little bit in this battle for the presidency. She too, did questionnable things, everybody did, and everybody changed. And as much as she knows he is a good man, she also knows that he is right, when he says he should have been a better boyfriend to Isabel. Emily, for her part, should have been a better daughter to her mother. She raises her hand and asks for a glass of scotch. She needs it too. The past three days have been the worst she could ever imagine. In such a short timeframe, she lost her mother, discovered that Lorraine was part of a huge conspiracy, and was betrayed by Tom Kirkman, the man she valued the most in her life. She almost wants to take the first flight for a deserted island where she can lay low for the rest of her life. But she looks at Aaron, and she knows he needs her. And she knows she cannot leave, she'll always be here for him.

"Unfortunately, you cannot change what you did. It's too late. We all did things we are not proud of, but it does not mean you should punish yourself by drinking that scotch alone at almost three in the morning when the bar manager wants to close but does not dare because he recognized you as the future Vice-President of the United States." she says, tilting her head toward the guy.

"Hey, it's not everyday the Vice-President walks into your bar… He can wait…" Aaron chuckles.

"Aaron…"

"Ok, fine. We're leaving…" Aaron said, standing up from his table. "Oh shit…" he suddenly says, holding to the table.

"Dizzy? How many?" Emily asks, allowing him to hold on to her.

"Two, maybe three… No more, I promise." he lies.

"Yeah, sure…"

He clearly drank more than three glasses, but she doesn't want to lecture him. It's useless anyway, he won't remember anything tomorrow. Emily makes a sign to Troy to help Aaron get out of the bar, and while she walks by the manager, paying Aaron's bill, she tells to him to keep his mouth shut. The guy knows, they are regulars at his bar, but Emily prefers to make sure of this. It's different now, Aaron is VP, and she cannot quite realize it either.

"Em… You comin'?" Aaron calls as Troy helps him in the car.

Emily quickly follows and gets in the car with him. She doesn't even really know why she follows him, Troy is here and could help him out of the car and into his apartment, but she knows that Aaron needs her right now. Just a few nights ago, she was the one needing him, and he came to her place, without having to ask anything. And she knows she has to do the same for him. She knows she has to be there for him, even if he isn't asking anything.

So when they arrive at his place, they are driven to the backdoor to avoid any journalist and she helps him out of the car and into the elevator.

"I'm not that drunk, you know…" Aaron chuckles as he tries to get out of her grasp.

"Sure, you look terribly sober right now…" Emily laughs as he stumbles and holds himself to the wall of the elevator.

The alcohol got to his head in the time it took to get home and he is feeling worse than ever.

"Fuck… Why am I doing that? I should be celebrating my victory right now…"

"Let's just say you are, in your own way…" Emily chuckles as she helps him out of the elevator.

Aaron fumbles in his pocket and finds the key to his apartment after what seems a very long minute searching for it. Emily helps him open the door, and as soon as they are inside, he crashes on the couch.

"It's in your bed that you should be, not on the couch…" Emily comments.

"Whatever… I want another glass first." Aaron states as he tries to stand up from the couch.

"Huh, huh… Not gonna happen." Emily answers, holding him and pulling him toward the bedroom.

"Em… Don't be such a mood killer… Please…" Aaron groans.

"You know I will…"

She pushes him on the bed and forces him to lie down. He wants to resist, but the alcohol is burning inside of him and he struggles to get up. Emily sits by his side and puts her hand on his.

"I don't want to sleep, Em…" he mumbles.

"You have to, Aaron. It's late, you're drunk and you're tired. Everything's gonna be alright…"

"But she left me. For good…"

"And I'm sure you'll get over it, it will take time, but you will."

"She's the love of my life… I would never be VP without her… how can I do this, if she is not here to support me? Huh? Tell me?"

"You'll do alright because you are a strong man, you'll get over it. You don't need anyone to be VP Aaron, you just need to believe in yourself. Tom Kirkman didn't pick you for VP because of Isabel, he picked you for who you are, what you believe in, and what you did."

"I don't even know anymore, if I ran for me, or for her… or for anything else… She just wanted it so much, she was so proud that I would become the first latino VP of the country… Bullshit. I don't want to be that…"

"Well, Aaron. It's too late now. You are the first latino VP of the country. And you are still drunk, you should really sleep now…"

Emily tries to stand up, ready to leave him to sleep, but Aaron holds Emily's hand.

"Em, don't leave. I need you. Please…." he begs.

"You know it's the alcohol talking, right?" she answers, smiling softly.

"Whatever, stay with me… please…"

He is pulling her toward him and she has to fight not to fall in his arms. She knows he is sad and drunk, she doesn't want him to do any other mistake he could regret later on.

"Please, Emily… I don't want to be alone tonight, I need you."

"Ok, fine. I'll stay. But you have to sleep."

Emily gives up. She knows he is right, she knows he needs her. He finally releases his grip around her hand and she stands up, walking toward the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" he asks, his voice hoarse.

"Getting you a glass of water and some pills for tomorrow morning…"

Aaron grumbles something she doesn't understand, and before she can come back to the bedroom, she can hear him already snore. She chuckles and shakes her head, wondering if she should leave or stay with him. But yet again, he stayed with her a few nights ago, and she wants to be here for him too. She contemplates what to do, and steals one of Aaron's shirts to change. Aaron still wears his shirt and his trousers and she thinks she should have helped him undress, but since that night when they slept together, she knows things are awkward between the two of them, no matter what they both tell themselves. There is this giant elephant in the room that they have to address one day, and they cannot find the time to talk about it.

Walking around the bed, she sits next to Aaron and starts thinking about everything. Everything starts colliding in her head, Tom Kirkman's reelection and betrayal, Aaron's Vice-Presidency, Lorraine's arrest, her mother's death. It's too much and she starts sobbing. It's soft sobs, the kind of sobs that no one can really hear, the ones that make tears roll down one's cheeks. Looking at Aaron, she suddenly thinks she should have drunk too. It would have been easier, she would have been sleeping peacefully, just like Aaron is now. Turning off the light, she lies on the bed next to him, almost uncomfortable, and crawls as far from him as possible, turning her back to him. But suddenly, Aaron rolls over and puts his arm around her, snuggling against her. She can smell his alcohol-infused scent and still, it comforts her. They are here for each other, and it feels good to be able to count on one another at all time. Closing her eyes, she feels herself drinking into sleep when she hear him murmur.

"Thank you for staying."


	3. Chapter 3

Hello there. Long time no see. I wasn't planning on publishing anything new on this fandom, but a recent review and talk made me think otherwise. I went back to that story and realized I had already written a good part of this chapter, so I decided to work on it and publish it. I don't even know if anyone is still reading anything on this fandom, but for those of you still around, I hope you'll like it!

CHAPTER 3

"Can you tell me why I got called by Troy, asking me to pick you up here again?" Emily said, just after walking in that same bar she came in three weeks ago.

And this time, it's not a tipsy Aaron that she finds, but a completely smashed Aaron. She's not even sure she'll be able to take him home. He's almost asleep at the table at the back of the bar, and he just groans when he hears Emily. He doesn't even raise his head, he just knows it's her. She sits in front of him and looks at him, but he doesn't react.

"Aaron, what is going on?" Emily asks.

"Nothing…" he answers with a groan.

She wants to be angry with him, but she knows she can't. It's not his style to behave like this. She knows how bad he must feel, she's been there before, and though he didn't say what is going on, she knows it's bad enough for him to do this.

"Aaron, I know you. You're not getting wasted for nothing."

She takes his hand in hers and tries to reason him, but she knows there is no point in doing this, he is smashed and exhausted.

"Whatever…" he answers.

He wants to pull his hand away from Emily's, but she's holding on to him, to show him that she's there for him.

"Ok, let's take you home. We'll talk about that when you're sober." Emily says.

She wants to be compassionate, but she doesn't know what is going on, and it annoys her not to be able to help him more. She too, had her share of drinking alone, it's true. But it was when she needed to forget about something. And she is pretty sure it is the same for Aaron. She just wishes he would tell her.

She nods to Troy to help her to take him home, and it feels like a déjà-vu. It seems that it's become too often since Isabel broke up with him. He has a hard time getting over it, and no matter what she does to cheer him up, it seems to fail all the time. She knows it's something that will take time, she knows that she can only be here for him and listens to him, but it breaks her heart to see him so desperate.

And yet, she realizes that since that night they spent together, they don't talk anymore, they are not as honest with each other as they used to be. It's true, they see each other often, they comfort each other when something is wrong, but they don't confide in each other anymore. They used to. Past tense. And it pains her to realize this, to realize that their mistake made things more complicated between the two of them. In the weeks since that night they don't want to talk about, the only times they have been together and not uncomfortable are when one of them was drunk.

It's one of those times again, and as much as she wants to comfort him and wants to be here for him, she cannot help but regret that alcohol infused evenings are the only ones they have recently.

This time, he is too drunk to walk home just with Emily's help. Troy has to get him out of the car and he supports Aaron's weight all the way to his apartment. Emily just follows Troy and Aaron, she fetches the keys in Aaron's jacket and opens the door. Troy and Emily help Aaron reach the bed, and Emily ends up alone with Aaron, the Secret Service agent wishing her luck with the drunken man. Aaron hasn't said a word in the whole time since they left the bar. He groans, sometimes, and yawns too. He is so drunk Emily doesn't even know how he didn't throw up yet.

"Aaron, talk to me…" Emily pleads as she helps him get rid of his shoes.

"Talk? Where were you all day? When I needed you?" Aaron spits.

Aaron grumbles and turns around. He doesn't want to see Emily, he hates everybody right now, including her.

"Aaron, please…" Emily pleads, saddened to see him act like this.

"Get out of my sight…" Aaron grumbles again.

Emily just sighs, raises her hands and leaves the room. A few weeks ago, she stayed in the room with him, she slept by his side. But this time, it's clear that he wants to be alone, and she doesn't want to bother him. And yet, she worries about him and decides to sleep on the couch in his living-room. At least, she'll be here for him in the morning. She helps him take his shoes off, his suit jacket, and puts a blanket on him. She sighs, she's sad for him.

Walking toward the living room, she makes herself comfortable on the couch with a blanket. She tries to close her eyes and sleep, it's late. But she's not in the mood. She can't stop thinking about what Aaron just said. _Where were you all day? When I needed you?_ It breaks her heart that he feels this way, that he thinks she let him down. After the end of the campaign, she had been called by Tom Kirkman, asking her what she wanted to do next. He had offered to come back at the White House, but she had refused. Once again, some would say, she was out of job, but she needed some time for herself. She needed to properly grieve her mother.

What she also needed is to process the betrayal she feels every time she thinks about Tom Kirkman. She considered him her mentor, and the fact that he decided to ignore her warning with Lorraine is still deeply rooted in her heart. She hates the idea that he put his campaign above anything else, even the truth. He's not the same man she started working with all these years ago at HUD, and every night she wonders if she changed too. It's been three weeks, and it still torments her sleep every single night.

She stands up again, she knows she cannot sleep. She's too anxious to even think about sleeping. So she walks to Aaron's cabinet and grabs the bottle of Tylenol and a glass of water, and walks back toward Aaron's bedroom to put everything on the nightstand. She hears him snore lightly and smiles. At least, he's sound asleep. She contemplates sleeping by his side, because she feels like she could need a hug, but she also knows it's not a good thing. They are not on the same page. He's still crying over his breakup with Isabel, while she's had the time to question a lot of things in her three weeks of unemployment. Slowly but surely, she's realized that he's been there for her more than anyone else in the past three years, and that her feelings may have been hidden deep down for far too long. But with the realization hitting her, she also decided that yet again, it wasn't the time, and that she should push away these feelings for now. _It's not the right time, Em. You're grieving. He's broken up. He's the VP. _She cannot even say how many reasons not to pursue a relationship she's told herself. She knows it's a terrible idea, and he's probably not feeling anything like this for her. Their night together But the sight of him, passed out on his bed, broken and exhausted, makes her want to be here for him. It makes her want to be more than a friend.

She leaves the bedroom again, trying to shake the thought out of her mind, and lies on the couch again. Looking at the ceiling, she wishes she was drunk too, at least it would have been easier to fall asleep. Turning around on the couch, it's just before dawn that she finally falls asleep.

She's woken up only a few hours later by a loud bang in the next room. She jumps and hears Aaron curse. Walking toward the bedroom, she sees Aaron in front of the bathroom door, rubbing his forehead and grumbling.

"You ok?" she asks, observing from afar.

He jumps a bit, clearly surprised that she still is here.

"Yeah… Wanted to go to the bathroom. Door was closed. Still is…" he groans.

Emily chuckles softly, amused by Aaron's state.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like shit. My head is pounding…"

"I cannot say I am really surprised. Did you take the Tylenol I left on your nightstand?"

"Yeah… Thanks."

There is a silence between the two of them, and Emily decides to speak up before it gets too awkward.

"I'll… Go and make coffee?" she offers.

"Sure… I'll join you in a sec." he answers, smiling weakly.

Before long, they are both sitting around the table with a cup of coffee in hand, and they sip it in a sort of comfortable silence. Aaron is thankful Emily is still here. He knows she cares about him, and it feels good to have someone in his corner in such a dark time.

"Isi was pregnant" he suddenly says, breaking the silence.

"What?" Emily exclaims, choking on her coffee.

"We fought, yesterday. In her office. And she let it slip, that she was pregnant. With my baby…" he says, blankly.

"Wait, was?" Emily asks, confused.

"She… terminated the pregnancy a couple of days ago." he says in a murmur.

There. He said it. It is strange, but it actually feels good to finally talk to someone about it.

"Gosh…" is all Emily can manage to say. She seems as shocked as Aaron was yesterday when he learned the news. And suddenly she realizes that it must be the reason why he drank so bad last night.

"So… The drinking, yesterday night?" she asks. "That's what it was about?"

"I guess so, yeah…" he shrugs. "I just… can't believe she didn't tell me before. That she didn't tell me at all."

She puts her hand on his, trying to make him feel her presence, her support. She doesn't want to say anything else, because she's not quite sure how to broach the subject. She just lets him talk.

"I just wish she's told me before. I wish that she trusted me enough to believe I would have supported her, whatever her choice. That I wouldn't judge her…"

"I know…" she says.

In reality, she's not sure what to say, she's not sure what to think. She cannot even begin to imagine what went through Aaron's head when he learned the news. With the breakup, the past few weeks have been hard for Aaron. Crossing path with your ex, working with her everyday is something you never wish to anyone. And now, this new piece of information is making it even harder. It's like copping with a double break up for him, knowing that Isabel didn't even trust him enough to talk about this, didn't trust him enough to know that he would listen to her, and help her in this, no matter her decision.

"What are your thoughts about it?" Emily dares to ask.

"I don't know what I think, or what I feel. It just sunk all day, the thought that I could have been a father…" he starts.

"Don't go down that path…" she tells him.

"No, I know. And I don't hate her for that decision. Ultimately, it was her choice to make. I know that and I respect her decision. I just wish I'd been here for her. And reasonably, it wasn't the right time anyway. She's going to be Harper's deputy, I'm going to be VP. Hell, we're not even together anymore…"

He stops, sips his coffee and stares into space. He's just trying to think, really think. Despite the coffee and the Tylenol, his head is still pounding. He rubs his face, trying to erase the features of tiredness and worry, but he knows it's not working. He's feeling bad, and he's not even sure whether it's because of the hangover or because of Isabel. He doesn't know if he wants to continue this conversation, it's too complicated for his post-drunken state.

"Why did you stay?" he asks, changing the subject.

"Because you needed me…" she answers, point blank.

She tightens her grip around the hand she didn't let go of, and smiles softly.

"I'll always be there for you, I hope you know that."

"Thank you." he whispers.


End file.
